The new Myanmar government led by Aung San Suu Kyi is starting peace talks with ethnic groups they had been war with when the military was in power. Both the UN and China are helping Myanmar with the peace talks.
According to Fox News, “Officials in Myanmar say United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend a peace conference next week that seeks to end decades of armed conflict with ethnic minority groups.”
The endless fighting between the Myanmar military and the ethnic groups has made trade between Myanmar and China virtually impossible. The ethnic groups live among the Myanmar-China border.
According to The New York Times, “After years of encouraging the armed groups, China wants to end the prolonged fighting. The lawlessness created by that conflict has allowed the illegal jade and timber trade, worth billions of dollars, to flourish, but it has also made legitimate commerce across China’s southern border with Myanmar almost impossible.”
Christian Aid has been going into the villages of these ethnic groups and sharing Christ’s love wit them. Many people in these areas have never heard of Christ’s love before. They follow traditional religions.
According to Christian Aid, “Shan state rebels came under heavy government fire last fall, and about once a month fighting between rebels and government forces flares up in areas where his missionaries work, he said. The ethnic Pa’O, many of whom have fled to Thailand to escape Shan fighting between rebel and government forces, practice Buddhism, though often mixed with animist beliefs. Their mythology holds that they originated from a shaman and a female dragon.”
Please pray for the government of Myanmar that they would have successful peace talks with the ethnic groups and be able to come up with a resolution. Also, pray for Christian Aid, that they would be able to reach out to many more in these ethnic groups with Christ’s love as a result of these peace talks
Fox News: Myanmar says UN chief to attend peace talks
New York Times: China Helps Aung San Suu Kyi With peace Talks in Myanmar
TRT World: Ban Ki –moon to attend peace talks in Myanmar next week
Christian Aid Mission: Going Where Christ is Unknown in Burma